Page 76 of Tempted
Should she heed his warning or accept his challenge? As she stared into those pewter eyes, she had a moment of misgiving and decided upon the former. With a shrug of her shoulder and a rueful little smile she said, “Your hospitality is shamefully lacking to keep me standing here, freezing to death.”
“I’ll take ye below and warm ye up,” he murmured in her ear.
She could smell the resin of the white pine decking and the odor of the wet canvas sails She turned to her brother’s man “Would you be good enough to carry a letter to Donal and his new wife Meggie for me?”
He nodded, and Ram said, “Ye had better be brief—I intend to weigh anchor and take her out to sea.”
Tina was excited at the prospect “I won’t write after all. Donal isn’t one for letters anyway Just give them both my love, and tell them I shall drop in for a visit one day.”
Ram led her below, noting with satisfaction the paneling and other fine appointments of his new vessel. He opened the door of the main cabin, and she stepped inside. The moment the door closed, he took her by storm. She was swept into his arms against the hard length of him as his mouth took fierce possession of hers. She was thoroughly kissed before he lifted his lips. “Blood of God, I’ve been wanting to taste ye all day tae see if ye still taste like last night.”
“And do I?” she asked provocatively.
He tasted her lips again and licked her full underlip. “Mmm, not quite as sweet—a little more tart,” he teased, referring to her temper. He perched on the edge of the table, spread his legs wide, and brought her between. His hands had her bodice unfastened to the waist before she knew what he was about. Her breasts were in his palms, and he lifted each one so he could taste and lick her nipples and aureoles. As they rouched, Tina gasped, “You have no shame.”
“None whatsoever,” he agreed, as strong hands went behind to her buttocks, and he pressed her secret part against his swollen sex. He glanced at the bunk. “It’s wide enough for two if we lie touching.”
“One would have to lie on top of the other,” she protested.
He nodded enthusiastically. “We could take turns”
She tried to pull away from him. “Your men are awaiting your orders to weigh anchor.”
“They won’t expect me for some time. All heard ye invite me down here tae warm ye up. Ye deliberately stoke the fires of my passion in public.”
“That’s so you can’t fall upon me and tear off all my clothes, you madman!”
“Aye, mad!” he said, taking her mouth again and breathing in her woman’s fragrance. His lips trailed up her throat to her ear, then he whispered, “After being at sea all afternoon, yer skin will taste salty when I lick it tonight.” A queer little shiver made her spine tingle. “If ye behave yerself, I might let ye lick me,” he whispered outrageously, and chuckled deep in his throat when he saw her blushes. He became serious and buttoned up her riding dress. “I’d like nothing better than tae make love tae ye, sweet, but I know how embarrassed ye are in front of all these rough men. I’ll behave myself until bedtime.” He brushed her lovely hair back from her brow and tenderly kissed her temple. “Come on, let’s go fer a run into the Irish Sea.”
Tina moved forward to the prow while Ram shouted his orders. He stood between Jock and Gavin at the wheel. Jock said, “She’ll need cannon.”
“Where do we buy cannon?” asked Gavin.
Ram’s eyebrows went up. “Buy? Are we not reivers? We lift cannon the same way we lift cattle. Tomorrow the first order of business is tae capture an English vessel. We’ll pick our mark today. Keep yer eyes open.”
Tina watched as the topsails broke from the yards, tumbled loose, and were sheeted home. How she would love to have been a man! To shout orders from the quarterdeck, to own a fine sailing ship such as the Valentina and every man jack aboard! She leaned against the rail and watched the sea and the sky and listened to the shrill screams of the seabirds that seemed so fierce and so free. When she tired of watching the sea, her eyes sought out Ram Douglas.
She watched him as he spoke with every single one of his men. She noticed that when he spoke with a man he gave him his full attention and listened intently to what that man said back to him. Before he moved on to the next man, he always put a hand on the shoulder or a slap on the back. Women didn’t have that one-for-all and all-for-one camaraderie that men shared. Two women could be close friends like Ada and herself, but a large group would be more like enemies than friends.
Thinking of Ada reminded her of her advice. She had made a tactical mistake today to allow her anger and hatred to show through, making her tongue sharp and her behavior outrageous. She should have waited until they were abed to ask Ram Douglas for the Valentina. She shivered. He was a dangerous man—she must never let him know that what she did now was so that she could wreak revenge later.
In the late afternoon he joined her at the rail and slipped a possessive arm about her as the red balloon of the sun dropped down the sky to be swallowed by the black sea. “I hope all this fresh air has worked up an appetite.”
“I’m starving,” she said, leaning against him, all soft compliance.
“Good! A couple of the lads have prepared a veritable feast. Mind ye, they aren’t quite on the same level as yer Mr Burque, but there’s oysters, scallops, and big prawns. We’re all going to eat it here on deck, if yer game?”
It suited her to a tee She loved nothing more than being treated like one of the lads, and she and Ram sat cross-legged with the men on the deck, held the platters of shellfish on their knees, and washed it down with tankards of ale.
The wind dropped as they sailed into the mouth of the River Dee. The Valentina’s sails were furled, and she went up river on the evening tide. Ram wanted to know just how close he could get the midsize vessel to Castle Douglas. “Let’s stay aboard tonight?” he implored her. “Tomorrow I’m back patrolling that damned border, and God knows how often I’ll get tae spend the night with ye, since most raids take place at night.”
Since he wanted it so much, she fulfilled his desire. She would deny him nothing. In the small cabin she allowed him to undress her, making sure both her stockings were removed. Then his hands were on his own clothes, flinging them off with all possible speed.
As she stood in the golden glow of the ship’s lantern, he beckoned her to the berth. “There is something between my legs that needs yer ministrations,” he told her, unable to mask the laughter in his dark eyes. He handed her his sharp dirk and opened his thighs.
She looked at him blankly for a moment, not comprehending the savage gamp he wanted to play. “Take out yer stitches,” he explained, “Lord, woman, what did ye think I wanted ye tae do?”
“Foolish Douglas to trust a Kennedy with a knife,” she taunted him, touching the point to the taut skin of his belly. I could ruin the arrogant bastard, she thought. Of course she’d be dead, but he’d be castrated. But then she thought of the pleasure he gave her and knew she’d never do it.
